All NFL fan bases start the NFL regular season with at least a glimmer of hope, although some teams possess more hope than others. While some teams, like the Los Angeles Rams, likely shouldn’t hope for the best this year, teams like the Philadelphia Eagles deserve all of the high hopes their fans have for them this year. Add the Carolina Panthers to that deserving list. There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding them this season with the drafting of Bryce Young, the hiring of a brand new coaching staff and the revamping of the offensive weapons, but how good will they really be and which games on their schedule will they win?
The Panthers roster is decent overall, despite a few holes. Quarterback is a question mark, with rookie 1st overall pick Bryce Young manning the helm. He should have a pretty good season and likely won’t struggle with turnovers unlike other rookie quarterbacks. They should be good at running back, as Miles Sanders is a stud, but the receiver position is below average, although they have a lot of depth. Their offensive line was supposed to be a top five unit going into the year but has majorly struggled in preseason, so it’s a question mark for now. Their d-line is a major weakness, despite having Derrick Brown, but their linebacker core makes up for it, and is one of the best in the NFL. Their defensive backs are okay, and Jaycee Horn is a shutdown corner, but they may have a tendency to get burned by teams with multiple threats.
While their roster is in the lower half of the league in terms of strength, their division is one of the weakest in the league, and a team with a below .500 record could sneak into the playoffs. The Panthers have the fifth easiest schedule in the NFL per PFF, but that’s the second hardest in their division, as the Saints and Falcons have the two easiest schedules in the league.
Game by Game Projection
Week 1 at Atlanta Falcons: W
Week 2 vs New Orleans Saints: W
Week 3 at Seattle Seahawks: L
Week 4 vs Minnesota Vikings: L
Week 5 at Detroit Lions: L
Week 6 at Miami Dolphins: L
Week 7: BYE
Week 8 vs Houston Texans: W
Week 9 vs Indianapolis Colts: W
Week 10 at Chicago Bears: W
Week 11 vs Dallas Cowboys: L
Week 12 at Tennessee Titans: W
Week 13 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: W
Week 14 at New Orleans Saints: L
Week 15 vs Atlanta Falcons: W
Week 16 vs Green Bay Packers: L
Week 17 at Jacksonville Jaguars: L
Season Record: 8-9
Division Standings
- New Orleans Saints (10-7)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-11)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-13)
While the Carolina Panthers might not make the playoffs, they should show promise this year and have a lot to build on for next season when Bryce Young is in his second year and the Panthers are ready to be a contender.
